MARK sent in this breaking news :
According to CNN.com, the Colorado parents in “balloon boy” case will plead guilty to offenses for creating a hoax that their son had flown away in a large balloon.
JERMEY & CAITLIN sent me a link that links nicely with this news, analyzing the psychological problems created in (surprise surprise) Reality TV-style celebrities: those who rocket into seeming fame and recognition based on ‘thin air,’ then plummet to the ground when they realize– with a thud– they aren’t important or talented in any ‘real’ way. ’Reality’ meets Reality.
Their article quotes one Cooper Lawrence, author of “The Cult of Celebrity: What Our Fascination with the Stars Reveals about Us.” (Interstingly, Lawrence is facing her own mini-scandal over remarks made on FOX). Here on the Blog my husband was ahead of the game in dubbing the new ADD:
ATTENTION-DESIRING DISORDER
Balloon Boy’s parents admit ‘We’re Guilty.’ And what about us, their unwitting and sometimes unwilling audience? Aren’t we all ‘enabling’ this sick syndrome of insta-fame to insta-disgrace to inevitable crash? Anyone see a way out?
(And meanwhile, of course, just to keep merrily enabling away: be sure to cast your VOTE for DISGRACED CELEBRITY OF THE FALL, 2009– we are accepting votes and nominations ALL NOVEMBER; just post a vote with ANY COMMENT here on the blog, in this ongoing neverending Race for Disgrace…)
it is a tie between balloon boy’s dad and jon gosselin for disgraced celebrity this fall
I hear you, Jeff–
we also had a ‘tie vote’ posted for
Levi plus Jon G–
hard to decide this fall; but yes, Balloon Boy Dad is right
*up there*
Even better, let’s do a reality show staring Levi, Jon and Balloon Boy’s Dad… Now that, I’d tune in to watch!!
M– yes, elsewhere on the blog, when we had a Levi post, a Levi & Bristol reality TV show was ‘floated’–
Levi & Jon just hung out together in NYC this week–
surely the subject came up; what else do these two Disgrace Dudes have to talk about? Stay tuned–
I hear Balloon Dad plea bargained to get probation only.
Might I suggest that, in addition to the traditional ankle bracelet, he be forced to carry a raft of brightly colored balloons at all times?
Perhaps a mandatory clown outfit also? He wanted to be noticed, after all.
LOL, Litotes!
I’m all for a tie between Levi and Jon. They’re both disgraceful. Levi wants to show the world his “Johnston,” and Jon throws “mantrums” and apparently wants to get back together with Kate (now that his money has run out).
If Jon and Kate get back together before voting closes, they will bump Levi out the running for this fall’s disgraced celeb and win the dubious honor hands down.
Wow, Caitlin– I hadn’t heard about this newest twist–
Jon & Kate, together again? I agree, if that happens, we’ll have to give Disgraced Celeb. of the Year to those two, by ‘acclamation.’
Could this whole split-up have been some giant ruse? Could these two actually have more acting talent than we are giving them credit for? If so, not only should they win Disgraced Celeb. of the Year, but Oscars as well…
When I heard the rumor of a possible ruse, I shook my head. Let’s see if Jon and Kate get back together in time for a Holiday Special….
LOL–
‘The children were nestled all snug in their beds…’
Yep,
‘Christmas Eve with Jon & Kate’
would push Holiday Specials to new levels of
Christmas Creepiness…
(But then again, if you know anything about the real Bing Crosby & family, their sugarplummy Specials can curdle your eggnog too…)
can i vote twice for disgraced celebrity?
jon times two.
If anyone deserves his vote times two– or times 8, one for each kiddie– it’s this guy. But is Kate really getting back with him? Say it isn’t so, for the kids’ sake, and for our already-fragile national sanity…
It’s easy to throw Levi and Jon in the same category, but Levi is still a teenager. Most people, at nineteen, do lots of stupid, hurtful things they will later regret. It’s self-centered immaturity. There is hope for Levi that he’ll grow up and be forgiven.
Jon is a grown man who is acting like a nineteen year old.
Big difference.
Good points as always, Linda! Even Sarah Palin today on Oprah was pointing out that Levi is still a teenager. So true that Jon doesn’t have that excuse–
Jon G. may have the edge here in this dueling-dudes race to disgrace.